Within months of becoming king, Charles married, by proxy, a French Roman Catholic Princess, Henrietta Maria de Bourbon, the King of France Louis XIV's aunt raising fears of a Catholic heir in England. Charles also wanted to unite the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland, fulfilling the dream of his father, James I of England (James VI of Scotland). Charles shared his father's position on the power of the crown (James had described kings as 'little Gods on Earth', chosen by God to rule in accordance with the doctrine of the 'Divine Right of Kings'. Charles expected outright loyalty in return for 'just rule'. He considered any questioning of his orders as, at best, insulting. This trait, and seemingly minor events on their own, would lead to a serious break between Charles and his English Parliament, and eventually to Civil War.

King: 27 Mar 1625 to 30 Jan 1649.
Succeeded by the English Council of State or Protector's Privy Council: 14 Feb 1649 to 30 Apr 1653.
Then Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector.

History

24 May 1626

Hatfield Chase, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England

Hatfield Chase was a low-lying area in South Yorkshire, England which often flooded from the the rivers Don, Torne and Idle, which meander to the Trent at its entrance to the Humber. Also known from Penda, King of Mercia's victory at the Battle of Hatfield Chase in 633. The whole area, apart from the Isle of Axholme, is less than 10 feet above sea level and liable to frequent flooding. The area included some common land but it was unlawful to take fish or game though many locals gained their livelihood by fishing and fowling as the area was unsuitable for agriculture. It was a royal hunting ground until King Charles I appointed Dutch engineer Cornelius Vermuyden to drain it in 1626. King Charles was keen to make his assets profitable and the contract divided the land into three parts, one for the King, one for the (capital) adventurers who would drain the land and the remainder for locals who had interests in the land. The scheme was imposed despite huge opposition from locals who would lose their livelihoods in favour of already great landowners.

The National Covenant of 1638 documented and concluded the Scottish Reformation (Scotland's formal break with the Papacy in 1560) and promoted and developed Presbyterianism as its form of church government favoured by the Scottish people, as opposed to Episcopacy, favoured by the Crown. The Scottish Episcopal Church has no jurisdiction in Scotland.

History

23 Oct 1642

Edge Hill, Warwickshire, England

The English Civil War starts with the Battle of Edgehill. After the Parliamentary artillery opened a cannonade, the Royalists attacked. Both armies consisted mostly of inexperienced and sometimes ill-equipped troops. Many men from both sides fled or fell out to loot enemy baggage, and neither army was able to gain a decisive advantage.

History

28 Jul 1643

Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, England

Battle of Gainsborough: Francis Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby of Parham captured Gainsborough in Lincolnshire for the Parliament Roundheads from the Earl of Kingston in a night attack. The Earl was later killed by a cannon ball from his own men as he was being taken as prisoner down the river

History

14 Jun 1645

Naseby, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, England

The Battle of Naseby was the key battle of the (first) English Civil War. The main army of King Charles I was destroyed by the Parliamentarian New Model Army under Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell.

History

28 Dec 1647

Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire, England

Although King Charles I was a prisoner, he negotiated a new agreement with the Scots promising church reform which led to a Second Civil War. Nearly all the Royalists who had fought in the First Civil War had given their parole not to bear arms against the Parliament, and many honourable Royalists, refused to break their word. The victors in the Second Civil War showed little mercy to those who had brought war into the land again.

History

Dec 1648

Houses of Parliament, the Palace of Westminster (the King's Palace), Westminster, Middlesex, England

The betrayal by Charles I caused Parliament to debate whether to return the King to power at all. The New Model Army marched on Parliament, arrested 45 Members of Parliament (MPs) and kept 146 out of the chamber. They allowed only 75 Members in, and then only at the Army's bidding. This Rump Parliament received orders to set up, in the name of the people of England, a High Court of Justice for the trial of Charles I for treason. Charles I was found guilty of high treason, as a "tyrant, traitor, murderer and public enemy"

The English Parliament did not proclaim Charles II king at this time, passing a statute making it unlawful, and England entered the period known to history as the English Interregnum. The Parliament of Scotland, on the other hand, proclaimed Charles II King of Scots on 5 Feb 1649 in Edinburgh. He was crowned King of Scots at Scone on 1 Jan 1651.